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Madhya Pradesh shows progress in basic education but secondary level remains big challenge

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Senior Correspondent

NewsBits.in

BHOPAL: A comprehensive analysis by Child Rights and You –CRY, on occasion of the National Girl Child Day (November 24}, highlights the progress and challenges faced by girl children in accessing school education in Madhya Pradesh.

Drawing insights from recently released Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+) Report 2023-24, CRY's analysis highlights key achievements in education, infrastructural advancements, and critical areas requiring immediate attention to ensure a brighter future for girls.

The recently released UDISE + data 2023-24 indicates that Madhya Pradesh has shown progress in foundational and preparatory education. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for girls at the foundational level improved from 37.7% in 2022-23 to 39.3% in 2023-24, bringing it closer to the national average of 41.6%.

However, at the preparatory level, there was a slight decline, with GER dropping from 82.2% in 2022-23 to 81.1% in 2023-24. This remains significantly lower than the national average of 97.7%.

GER is the total number of students enrolled in a given level of education, regardless of age.

 

Dropout rate of girls at preparatory and secondary level improves

Madhya Pradesh showed significant improvement in preparatory and secondary dropout rate of girls in UDISE + 2023-24. The dropout rate of girls at secondary level showed major decline in a year with the figure coming down from 18.3% to 13.0% which means fewer girls are leaving schooling. It also exceeds the national average of 9.4% (2023-24).

 

Significant concerns persist with secondary GER and retention rates for girls

At the secondary level, the overall GER showed a notable improvement, rising from 46.8% in 2022-23 to 55.5% in 2023-24, though it still falls short of the national average of 66.5%. Unfortunately, for girls, the secondary GER dropped sharply from 81.1% in 2022-23 to 55.7% in 2023-24, which is also below the national average of 67.7%.

Acknowledging the government’s efforts in improving the educational scenario for girls at the foundational and preparatory levels, Regional Director of CRY, Soha Moitra, expressed concern over the challenges faced at the secondary education level. She said “The UDISE+ data highlights a concerning decline in key indicators at the secondary level. While the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) has dropped significantly, the Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) for girls also declined from 43.9% in 2022-23 to 42.6% in 2023-24. Secondary level retention has also fallen to 32.4%, slightly below last year’s 33.0%. Despite commendable progress at the foundational levels, the lack of access to secondary schools in rural areas continues to hinder girls’ education and limit their potential for further learning.”

NER is the percentage of children of official school age who are enrolled in school.

She further said “It is encouraging that the dropout rate for girls is declining. However, CRY’s extensive presence in the field suggests in Madhya Pradesh socio-economic challenges, cultural norms, gender discrimination, early marriages, inadequate school facilities, long travel distances, and safety concerns are still persistent hindering girls' educational journeys, posing significant barriers to completing higher secondary education. These barriers lead to higher dropout rates and make girls more vulnerable to child labour, underage marriage, teenage pregnancy, abuse, exploitation, and even child trafficking”.

 

Key Infrastructure Indicators from UDISE+ Report:

Functional Girls’ Toilets

109,090 schools have functional toilets; 10,702 schools still lack them.

Functional Drinking Water

115,970 schools have functional facilities; 6,776 schools still lack them.

Functional Handwash Facilities

Available in 115,446 schools.

Functional Toilets for CWSN

25,919 schools have functional toilets for Children with Special Needs (CWSN).

Electricity Connections

110,784 schools have electricity; 5,882 connections non-functional; 12,628 schools lack electricity entirely.

Computer Facilities

60,784 schools have computers; 55,672 are functional for teaching purposes.

Internet Connectivity

Available in 53,376 schools.

 

Addressing Barriers to Girls’ Education

CRY emphasizes the importance of improving infrastructure through timely repairs to toilets, drinking water facilities, and electricity connections. Promoting digital literacy by upgrading and maintaining computer facilities is another priority. Strengthening retention programs through scholarships and awareness campaigns is crucial to combat high dropout rates. Targeted interventions to address socio-economic and cultural barriers will also enhance secondary enrolment and retention for girls in the state.

Moitra said “While we celebrate the achievements in foundational education, the findings remind us of the urgent need to focus on higher levels of schooling for girls. Together, we can build an ecosystem where every girl in Madhya Pradesh thrives,”

“On this National Girl Child Day, CRY reaffirms its commitment to advocating for the rights and education of girls in Madhya Pradesh. By addressing these challenges collectively, we can pave the way for a brighter and more equitable future”, she added.